Glial tumors, the most prevalent and morbid of which is astrocytoma and its aggressive derivative glioblastoma multiforme, are the most common cancers of the adult central nervous system. They are also among the least treatable cancers, with a 5 year survival after initial diagnosis of <10% for tumors initially diagnosed at the grade 3 (anaplastic astrocytoma) or 4 (glioblastoma) stages. The currents treatment of glioma and glioblastoma are lacking, and achieve only palliation and short-term increments in survival. They include surgical resection, wherein ultimate recurrence rates are over 90%, as well as radiation therapy and chemotherapies that include cisplatin, BCNU and other mitotic inhibitors. The benefits of these current therapies are brief and temporary, and none are curative (e.g., Schiffer (1997) Brain Tumors. Biology, Pathology, and Clinical References, Springer-Verlag, New York, Berlin, Heidelberg). Accordingly, there is a need in the art for more effective treatments of glial tumors.